Despite Reports, Carl Rinsch Is Still Working On ’47 Ronin’

Despite reports that 47 Ronin was taken away from first-time feature director Carl Rinsch because of a budget that swelled to $225 million, I can tell you that Rinsch has been in the editing room all week, working side by side with the studio on the challenged Universal picture. And studio sources swear the budget will not cross the $200 million mark, despite a reshoot (that Rinsch himself directed) and despite the fact Universal has twice moved the release date of this Keanu Reeves-starrer.

At the risk of seeming like a studio apologist, I hate how difficulties in the process of putting together big-budget movies has been turned into bloodsport reporting, particularly when it is sort of accurate but exaggerated. Look, we all know that when stories crop up about films that do reshoots or extra shooting, it is not a good sign.

Sometimes, as was the case on Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, a rumored tough shoot and post-production process manifests itself into a remarkable film. Exaggerating the situation on a movie, when it is in production or in the editing room, seems unfair, almost like criticizing an artist’s painting before it is finished. I think that it encourages reviewers and audiences to discount the movie, even subliminally, and they evaluate it at least a little bit on the basis of perceived troubles.

Universal was not commenting but here’s what’s going on now: The studio has taken a more active hand in the editing process on the Universal lot, which is unusual for that particular studio but hardly unheard of with a first-time director who doesn’t have final cut. Rinsch, a respected commercials and short film helmer who had the job of directing the Alien prequel until Ridley Scott took it and turned it into Prometheus, has opinions as strong as his visual sense. That doesn’t endear one to the crew, which is probably how these rumors get started. He’s new to the game of mounting a huge film and the studio has every right to protect an investment that is at least a $175 million 3D film. But the reports he has been removed from the editing room and that he had 47 Ronin taken away from him are wrong, as far as I can see. And the studio is hardly trying to hide a bomb, not when it chose December 25, 2013 as the new release date.

Now, this craze of entrusting gargantuan budget films to first timers is one that studios might be rethinking after 47 Ronin and John Carter (Andrew Stanton is an accomplished animation director, but I think he was in over his head). Rupert Sanders did okay with Snow White and the Huntsman, as did Joseph Kosinski on Tron: Legacy. And Disney has gone all in with VFX wiz Robert Stromberg on the Angelina Jolie-starrer Maleficent, which seems to be going well. I just wonder if it’s better to let a budding director take on an indie or mid budget film to hone feature storytelling chops before jumping in the deep end with a tent pole. Like Tate Taylor did on The Help. But I can tell you with confidence that Rinsch is still swimming in the deep end and splashing as hard as he can, and it is difficult to judge a film nobody has seen yet.

All first time directors lamenting whether their career will be over because of a difficult first film need only to look at David Fincher, who survived the nightmarish struggle to mount Alien 3 on his first outing, and seems to be doing pretty well for himself.

27 Comments

It just seems like common sense, which unfortunately, isn’t very common, that a first time feature director should start with something small.

What's a Ronin? • on Sep 27, 2012 12:42 pm

Studios want to save money on the big budget pics so they hire first time guys for a cheap price and hope they can swim. If they sink they wonder why it’s a problem production. The other reason they like newbies is so they can keep them under control. If you hire a guy who knows what he’s doing your input is no longer needed. Plus they are always dazzled by commercials and music videos that look cool and inventive so it’s an easy choice to make to go with a first time director no matter how big the budget is.

• on Sep 27, 2012 11:40 am

Kind of surprised to see this kind of sensitive reporting on Deadline. Nice change of pace and a very nice piece.

OMFG • on Sep 27, 2012 4:46 pm

“Sometimes, as was the case on Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, a rumored tough shoot and post-production process manifests itself into a remarkable film.”

Are you f’ing kidding me. APES was a terrible, awful, awful film.

john • on Sep 28, 2012 6:33 am

Agreed.

cap • on Sep 28, 2012 1:43 pm

John, and probably as many as three more people in the world agree with you. Rest of us sane people thought it was awesome.

jack • on Sep 27, 2012 11:43 am

Is Fleming a friend of Rinsch’s? Because from all accounts, Rinsch has been a complete nightmare to work with. There’s a big difference between a difficult production (RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES) and a difficult director who made the production much worse for everyone involved.

leroy • on Sep 27, 2012 12:10 pm

Just typical Fleming reporting… Hypocritical and completely lacking in self-awareness or irony of his own or the site’s past coverage on similar situations.

robert • on Sep 27, 2012 11:45 am

Soooo… Rise of The Planet of the Apes is a “remarkable film“.

I guess so if you mean…remarkable in it’s averageness.

Cuppajoe • on Sep 27, 2012 1:19 pm

I don’t know anybody that didn’t absolutely love Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I think most people would say it’s a remarkable film.

OMFG • on Sep 27, 2012 4:47 pm

Now you know someone. The entire film was laughable, with it’s awful dialogue and stilted acting.

Long View • on Sep 27, 2012 11:45 am

Well said, Michael. I don’t know the situation or the parties involved, but the endless (negative) speculation – the “bloodsport”, as you call it – certainly doesn’t help the process.

Farzan • on Sep 27, 2012 11:46 am

This is really good to hear. I’m excited for this film and I’m confident Rinsch will deliver a solid movie. I mean Ridley Scott chose this guy to direct the Alien prequel for a reason before he stepped in to do it himself.

Universal is just being alittle cautious which is totally understandable considering the budget and the fact that its Rinsch’s FIRST FILM.

bounder • on Sep 27, 2012 3:53 pm

“I mean Ridley Scott chose this guy to direct the Alien prequel for a reason before he stepped in to do it himself.”

Isn’t at least part of that reason that Rinsch is the guy’s son-in-law?

Laurence Lumiere • on Sep 27, 2012 11:47 am

Fincher is a perfect example how a hot young talent feom the music video-ad world goes through fire of a big studio tentpole, learns valuable lessons from this ordeal and becomes one of the top helmers of the world.
Doesn’t matter who has the final-final cut as long as 47 Ronin turns out spectacular. Those brief glimpses Uni showes back in April @ Cinemacon promised something good..

Alan • on Sep 28, 2012 10:30 pm

This may sound like an oversimplification, but – in an ideal world – a director should be able to three things, if nothing else: tell a story, direct actors and create compelling visuals. Music videos and commercials seem to teach directors to do the later, so it seems astonishing that studios seem to think that they are the equivalent of a stepping-stone to mega-budget productions, as they have not guided actors in a longer format or been asked to tell a feature-length narrative before. Fincher, I think, made the jump successfully not necessarily because of his experience in music videos (which were kick-ass), but because he’s also a pretty smart guy who knows a little something about everything, including acting and story structure. I don’t know Carl Rinsch, but I have seen his ads and they are, admittedly, spectacular, but I am bewildered to think that anyone thought it was a good idea to give this guy such a huge project with no pre-awareness.

Alan • on Sep 28, 2012 10:39 pm

And Fleming’s ‘Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes’ comparison is a little odd. Rupert Wyatt wrote and directed ‘The Escapist’, a small-scale, but relatively ambitious film that showed a handle on story. Rinsch is a music-vid guy with family connections to Ridley Scott, another director who always seems to experience story problems on his films. There’s a huge difference between someone with a handle on story and those without.

Joel S. • on Sep 27, 2012 12:01 pm

I could have shot this movie for less than $25 million; but then again, I have talent.

• on Sep 27, 2012 12:29 pm

Of course you’re referring to your mockbuster version “Ronin 4t7” which will be premiering on the SyFy channel a week before the real thing.

Frank • on Sep 27, 2012 12:51 pm

Wow, you seem amazing and talented. You will absolutely get hired at one of the studios.

Juan • on Sep 27, 2012 1:07 pm

Would you have put nipples on the samurai suits?

Dustin • on Sep 27, 2012 12:43 pm

Unless it’s Avengers (a movie tying what, five movies together?), The Hobbit (established franchise and turned into 3 movies), or something similar, NO MOVIE should cost $200 million! Especially with a first time director.

74 Ronin • on Sep 27, 2012 3:28 pm

Movies no longer have to make logical sense they just have to look good. Audiences have been so dumbed down now they no longer care about the story. As long as this has plenty of Matrix style action with Keanu doing the same kind of wire work flying through the air with his samurai sword the audience will accept it. I have no idea what this is about is there a sci-fi angle to it? Is that why it’s so expensive? Do the 47 samurai ronin guys time travel? Are they from another planet?

JimB • on Sep 27, 2012 5:19 pm

That’s what happened with new Judge Dredd movie. For a whole year, the press mauled that production and convinced their readers that it was going to be the worst ca-ca ever. All without ever seeing one frame. THEN they actually SAW the movie and praised it to the skies in reviews. Too little too late. You can’t just reverse course like that at the last minute. They convinced their readers it would be a horrible botched film, then said “Oops! My bad! It’s excellent. Go support it!” WTF. Too late. Their readers passed on the film, having already been conditioned to hate it. Congratulations press! You killed a film you ended up loving! You killed a new franchise. You dented the career of the under-appreciated Karl Urban. You made it harder for similar R-rated genre movies to get made.

Then the press has the nerve to ask why their readers didn’t show up after they gave the movie glowing reviews. WTF? You dragged Dredd for a solid year, Nimrods! That’s why! You’re sorry now, aren’t you?!?! Boo Hoo HOO! Killed the thing you ended up loving! Yes, you’re sorry NOW, but that doesn’t help Dredd fans or Karl Urban, does it?!

Bean • on Sep 27, 2012 6:08 pm

Ten years ago I produced a few commercials with Carl. He is difficult. And he is insanely talented. Bad press on rumors and fears help no one, they definitely don’t help our business and they make people stay at home and not go watch the movie. I can’t wait to see the Ronin 47 next Christmas. This is obviously a huge film but Carl’s talent can carry it. I will hope so until Christmas 13.

well done • on Sep 27, 2012 6:33 pm

I like this even handed reporting style. Truthful and without any cynicism.

dwayne o • on Sep 27, 2012 10:10 pm

This is the best thing I’ve read on Deadline in a long time. Well-written, pointed and informative…